Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-05-29
KNIGHTS OF LABOR
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVES
To the Order in Regard to the New
Constitution.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR VOTING ON 1T.
The Old One as Amended to be Sub
mitted.

PHILADELPHIA, May 2S.-A secret cir
cular of the Knights of Labor, accompan-
led by printed copies of the revised constl-
tution of the Order, and laws governing
National Trade Assemblies, was sent out to
all the local assemblies throughout the
world from the general headquarters, at
sl4 North Broad street, this week.
Not all of the local assemblies have re-
ceived the circular, but within few days
it will have reached all quarters of the
United States and Canada. The full text
reads:
HEADQUARTERS OF
THE NOBLE AND HOLY ORDER OF
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR OF AMERICA,
PHILADELPHIA, PA, May II, 1887. }
Official Circular No. -
To the order Ereryrhere, Greeting:
Herewith is submitted for the approval
of the local assemblies the constitution as
revised by the committee appointed by the
General Assembly at Richmond, October,
1886. consisting of the General Executive
Board and five members of the General AS
sembly.
At the meeting of your assembly next
after the receipt of this notice, vote must
be taken separately in the two matters
herewith submitted, namely, the revised
constitution and the laws governing ma
tional trade assemblies. The result Of the
vote must be given in the blank herewith
sent, and said blank must be in the office
of the General Assembly not later than
June 25th, 1887.
If, on the date named, the returns re-
ceived by the General Secretary show q
majority OF those voting to he i'll tavar oil
! the adoption of one or both of them, then
proper proclamation of that fact to the or
| der will he made, and one or both be re-
iected. The old constitution, with such
changes as were adopted at Richmond,
namely, articles ,, 3, 4, Z, ), will be sub
mitted ~ the constitution OF the order.
Particular notice: In compiling the duties
of Master Workman of an Assembly, by
some oversight the duty of the sending out
the term pass word where not attached to
a State Assembly was omitted. In voting.
this must be understood as being part OF
the duties of the said officer and the error
he corrected aud revision accepted.
Fraternally submitted,
CHARLES Fl. LITCHMAN,
General Secretary.
The pamphlet accompanying the circu.
lar contains sixty pages, giving the revised
constitution in full and the provisions O
the law governing district assemblies. The
| oh a n
those GebaTring rum sellers from member
ship in the order, abUliShing the lU-mlnuit
discussion on labor questions at assembly
meetings, and substituting for it rule re-
quiring the C0nyeuing of monthly meet
ing for the sole discussion of educatlona
topics; establishing the rule requiring
every local assembly to obtain permission
of the district assembly before it can go oil
a strike, and, lastly, restricting the free
dom with which members have heretofore
been allowed to attack higher officers 0
members of the General Executive Board
The formation of National Trade distrlct
will be permitted "a heretofore, but thOs'
local assemblies exclusively composed o
one trade but attached to Il district assem-
bly of q mixed nature must first obtain per
mission OI lne DlStllCI AN>'ih"iN w" WV
must forward the application to the Genera
Secretary who will lay the matter before al
the local assemblies OF the craft in tn,
, country.
1t is thought that this is intended to en-
hance the power of the General Executive
Board over District Assemblies and, as
consequence, considerable dissatisfaction
has already been expressed, especially il
the KensingtOn district of this city.